Supervising office personnel involves numerous responsibilities to the business, managers and subordinate employees. As liaisons between workers and management, supervisors are expected to perform with efficiency, integrity and honesty. Fairness in treatment and familiarity with all departmental duties are keys to worker cooperation and trust. Legal responsibilities are also a factor, especially when dealing with human resources, safety and other legally mandated issues.

Responsibilities to the Company

Supervisor responsibilities to the company include knowledge of procedures and policies, striving for goals and objectives and ensuring employee adherence to work standards and quality controls. Guarding against employee theft, abuse of equipment, resources, facility, materials, supplies and other company property are additional supervisory duties.

Responsibilities to Employees

Without bias, favoritism or prejudice, supervisors mentor, advise and guide employees through various job duties and work situations in an effort to facilitate job satisfaction and career advancement. Supervisors are also responsible for upholding employee-protection laws regarding health, safety, anti-harassment, anti-discrimination, employment and worker rights.

Responsibilities to Management

Supervisors allow managers to work unencumbered by minor, everyday issues. Managers rely on supervisors to communicate business and personnel data as requested or required. Supervisors are responsible for making timely, accurate and honest reports to managers and alert them of issues that impact employees, managers and the business.

Legal Responsibilities

Legal responsibilities of supervisors include making formal incident reports to management or human resources when infractions or non-compliance occurs. In rare cases -- when incident reports are ignored or laws are repeatedly broken without manager intervention -- supervisors are legally required to contact local authorities, the Texas Workforce Commission or other responsible government agency directly. The Occupational Safety & Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor or the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission are federal agencies with field offices in all states and major metropolitan areas.

About the Author

Matt McKay began his writing career in 1999, writing training programs and articles for a national corporation. His work has appeared in various online publications and materials for private companies. McKay has experience in entrepreneurship, corporate training, human resources, technology and the music business.